Thru W/Out Phone?

[ronen.schatsky]

I would like to thru-hike without my phone. I just like the freedom, plus don't want the extra pounds, and don't feel like worrying about keeping it dry and charged throughout my hike.
I understand this course of action would mean a lot of hitch-hiking into town instead of calling a shuttle, but would that really be that bad?
And is there any serious safety argument saying I should bring my phone?
Is anyone else considering going phone-free?

[slbirdnerd]

People have been traveling by foot for thousands of years without cell phones. I personally wouldn't do it in this day and age without one (safety reasons), but surely it's not impossible. If you, or your family (I see you're 18), want you to have something for an emergency, grab a cheap TracPhone or something and stick it in your dry bag, just in case. Happy trails!

[Puddlefish]

I would like to thru-hike without my phone. I just like the freedom, plus don't want the extra pounds, and don't feel like worrying about keeping it dry and charged throughout my hike.
I understand this course of action would mean a lot of hitch-hiking into town instead of calling a shuttle, but would that really be that bad?
And is there any serious safety argument saying I should bring my phone?
Is anyone else considering going phone-free?

I've gone for years at home with a flip phone, that isn't even charged half the time. I'm not particularly into the prevalent phone culture.

I can't think of a huge safety concern. If you have a medical emergency, other hikers (most?) will be happy to help you make a call. They might not be so happy if you're constantly asking them for help with mundane web searches like weather forecasts/nearby restaurants/lodging/outfitters/etc.

That said, I ended up going the opposite direction and got a used Iphone 4 from a family member, and signed up for the month to month Verizon plan with minimal data. I still may not turn it on more than once a week, but I don't want to have to rely on other people if I need to order some replacement gear online, or want to see if that hostel I'm hitchhiking to actually has a vacancy on a rainy day.

They extra weight isn't a big deal, and you can always choose not to turn it on.

[Bronk]

When I did my thru attempt in 2002 I made it 850 miles and only saw 2 cell phones. In those days almost nobody had one. Seems to me folks that do it today lose a lot of the adventure of the hike by having all of the logistical support that a cell phone provides...seems not much is left to chance when you can call for a ride from the top of a mountain a couple miles before you get to the next road and spend your days text messaging back and forth between your friends...used to be the only means of communication were the shelter registers and the grape vine, and believe it or not those were amazingly fast and reliable means of communication. I think there is something people miss by having phones with them all the time.

[Sarcasm the elf]

It used to be normal to hike without one, but as cellphones have become commonplace, payphones have all but disappeared and this can make hiking without a cellphone a logistical hassle. Would I consider it major safety issue? Probably not.

[RockDoc]

Refreshing attitude! Go for it. I love it when people put freedom first, especially when hiking.

Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Franklin

If you need a phone, others have them and generally are willing to share...

[inspectorgene]

On the plus side. My son carried a cheapie candy bar phone on his thru in 2011. I was amazed at how often he could call and check in, even on ATT. I was also able to check weather conditions etc. for him. Made re-supply a little easier as well. AND you could be a sport and let other hikers that decided NOT to carry a phone, make calls on YOUR phone...

[Water Rat]

I would like to thru-hike without my phone. I just like the freedom, plus don't want the extra pounds, and don't feel like worrying about keeping it dry and charged throughout my hike.
I understand this course of action would mean a lot of hitch-hiking into town instead of calling a shuttle, but would that really be that bad?
And is there any serious safety argument saying I should bring my phone?
Is anyone else considering going phone-free?

:welcome to White Blaze!

Please post a picture of your cell phone that weighs "pounds." Is your phone from the 80s & 90s? :D Thankfully, they make 'em a lot lighter these days!

Most people carry phones out of convenience, rather than safety. Some places are easier to catch a hitch than others - During a rain storm is not the time to be caught without a phone, without others who have a phone, and lack of ride to town. While it (hopefully) wouldn't be the end of the world, that is one time a phone would come in quite handy...if you have cell reception.

A cheap Trac Phone can be charged, turned off, and then stowed in a Ziploc at the bottom of your pack. Only a few ounces. Might also come in handy if you start hiking with a group of people and then want to reconnect along the trail. Many will send messages to get locations and figure out the logistics of meeting back up.

It is absolutely your call (pun intended!) and I hope you have a wonderful hike.

[Old Grouse]

Hike without a cell phone? Why, when I was a boy we took chances. We used to walk clear around the block without a bottle of Evian in our hands - thought nothing of it. Of course the roadsides were piled with the bones of those who died of thirst.

[sliverstorm]

A super cheap flip phone or candy bar phone holds a charge forever, costs next to nothing, and weights an ounce or two. You don't have to carry one, but for the cost, weight, and size it's an awfully powerful part of a first aid kit. Which you also don't have to carry. But literally, you could stuff a cheap phone in your first aid kit. Turn it off, leave it in there.

[Casey & Gina]

I will be carrying an old, extremely basic (no camera, no MMS support, no web, 1 inch screen) phone "just in case", but it will stay packed away and turned completely off unless I really need it. It is a prepaid deal and has very limited minutes but is usable for the next year without any additional payment. I have no desire to call any shuttle, etc. for convenience. I will be taking an iPod Touch and a bluetooth GPS receiver as well, but the GPS receiver will likewise only ever get turned on in an emergency, and the iPod will just be used for reference materials and taking pictures. As both the GPS receiver and cell phone are simple dedicated devices, their batteries last a very long time and I do not expect to have to recharge either during the entire thru hike, although I will have the ability to since I am carrying a backup battery and small solar panel for the sake of the iPod and headlamp batteries that can charge the other devices if need be. I will not be carrying headphones. I have no desire to pollute my nature walk with technology, nor drown out the sounds of nature with music. The GPS receiver and cell phone are extra weight and something I am pretty much just taking because it makes me feel a little safer and because I am hiking with my wife and son. Were I going it alone I probably wouldn't bother.

[Cotton Terry]

I'll be taking my iPhone with me because it's more than a phone. I'll use it to post journal and blog entries, navigate (Guthook AT Hiker app with GPS), listen to tunes, Check in with family ("I'm OK"), and take pictures/video (128GB memory). With a LifeProof case, I don't have to worry much about the weather or dropping it.

That said, I can see the attraction for no phone. But, I would at least want to carry a camera, which would likely weigh as much, or more, than the phone and my wife will appreciate the regular check-ins.

[Lone Wolf]

I would like to thru-hike without my phone. I just like the freedom, plus don't want the extra pounds, and don't feel like worrying about keeping it dry and charged throughout my hike.
I understand this course of action would mean a lot of hitch-hiking into town instead of calling a shuttle, but would that really be that bad?
And is there any serious safety argument saying I should bring my phone?
Is anyone else considering going phone-free?

i did 5 thru-hikes plus 6000 other miles with no phone. but at least there were pay phones in towns

[Pedaling Fool]

I'm not all that familiar with the relatively new procedures to get a permit for thru-hiking GSMNP, but I do recall a lot of people mentioning using their phones while on the trail to get a reservation and make payments.

Maybe someone else can address the procedures for setting up a thru-hike of GSMNP without a personal phone...

[imscotty]

Ronan,

Go for it. I think you will find the positives will outweigh the negatives. I do not own a phone, and although I sometimes wish I had one, sometimes ask someone else to make a call for me, and do rely on email to keep in touch with my family, most of the time I am just glad not to be tied to those things. There is a lot to be said for living in the here and now. Sometimes I feel like the last free man on Earth.

Cell Phone free and loving it,
Scott

[dbright]

I am using my phone so I can have the maps downloaded to it. I am also going to send my wife text msg

[tdoczi]

People have been traveling by foot for thousands of years without cell phones. I personally wouldn't do it in this day and age without one (safety reasons), but surely it's not impossible. If you, or your family (I see you're 18), want you to have something for an emergency, grab a cheap TracPhone or something and stick it in your dry bag, just in case. Happy trails!


so what about "this day and age" makes something that people have been doing fopr thousand of years unsafe, exactly?

i dont own a cell phone at all (true story). ive never found it unsafe. every once in awhile ill take a burner on a hike with me for some specific logistic purpose that would otherwise be too big a hassle.

[michael rowlands]

I hiked the trail in 1981, no phones. In 2004- 2006 I did it again and wondered how things had changed. Many phones this time but I carried no phone on either trip. It would be easy to go without one. Emergency situations everyone else would let you use one. I used a loaded phone card in towns. I love hitching and only used cabs about 2 to 3 time total on both through hikes. Rowmin Goat.

[garlic08]

I go hiking to get away from the freakin' phone.

[rocketsocks]

I love my litle hand held computer that also makes phone calls, nessasary? Nope, good thing to have along? For me it is (and to jack water rats post, which rings true, pun intended) it's your call.

[4eyedbuzzard]

From a safety standpoint, very little concern. From a logistics and convenience and yeah, even social standpoint, quite a bit. It's 2016. You are a product of "these modern times". You're pretty smart. Weigh the advantages and disadvantages of 6 ounces extra. Hint: in the old days we often carried that much weight in coins in order to be able to use pay phones and/or buy sodas at machines. You might want to consider bringing a phone and sending it home in Damascus if you haven't found it useful enough and no longer desire it by then.

[Slo-go'en]

I'm not all that familiar with the relatively new procedures to get a permit for thru-hiking GSMNP, but I do recall a lot of people mentioning using their phones while on the trail to get a reservation and make payments.

Maybe someone else can address the procedures for setting up a thru-hike of GSMNP without a personal phone...

You need a printed permit for GSMNP, so a phone doesn't help you there.

Sure you can get by without a phone, but a phone or better yet a smart phone, does make life easier in a number of ways and there is little reason not to have one in this day and age due to either weight or expense.

[bigcranky]

Yeah, I go back and forth on this. On our Long Trail thru, the phone part turned out to be really useful several times in trying to get a reservation in the next town -- everybody else is calling for a room, so just showing up first come first served doesn't work very well anymore. And the internet part meant that when I was in town I could use email to stay in contact with certain folks back home.

While we hiked, the phone was turned off or on airplane mode and buried in my pack. The battery would easily last a couple of weeks that way.

My lovely wife, on the other hand, used her phone constantly -- but never for phone calls or texts. It was her camera, her journal, and her trail guide. While it was on airplane mode the whole time, she would get to town after 4-5 days and really need to charge the thing. She was able to keep a very nice journal using the Day One app, far more than I could keep with a pencil and paper. If you add up the weight of a camera, journal, and guidebook, the phone suddenly looks a lot lighter.

[Deco]

I used to be in the anti cell phone camp then I realized just because it's there doesn't mean I have to use it so it stays buried in my pack in a ziplock. I was happy to have it this summer as I needed the alarm clock to get me up early to make some extra miles to finish my hike in the time I had off work.

[CoconutTree]

What a strange thread. Of course you can hike without a phone. I knew phones had grown more popular over the years, but never expected to see this question. Never.

[4eyedbuzzard]

What a strange thread. Of course you can hike without a phone. I knew phones had grown more popular over the years, but never expected to see this question. Never.True, but they are very convenient and multi-purpose devices as many point out. Phone, text, email, browser, camera, and even whole guidebooks all in one small light package.

I found this post from another thread that shows one such use:
You are taking the whole thru hikers companion?

Depending on how attached you are to carrying paper maps, you could just take a picture of them with your phone.

;) :D

[Feral Bill]

I imagine that, when the time comes, I'll pack a minimalist phone. I'm not happy with the idea, though.

[RockDoc]

If you need a phone there used to be one at the cafe on top of Mt Washington. In 1974 I called home from there and the reply was "what kind of a mountain has a phone on the summit?"
Not much of one, I guess...

[Alligator]

You'll be perfectly fine without it. It will help in achieving mindfulness. Carry a map and compass, a guidebook, and bring a camera.

Very startling the replies are.

[Heliotrope]

When someone whips out a phone on a summit, like I experienced on Katahdin, to call their bff it ruins the wilderness for me. Perhaps we can agree on some phone etiquette on the trail. I carry a smart phone now and use it for the camera primarily while on the trail. And communicating in town. One of my favorite bumper stickers is " hang up and drive". Perhaps we need "hang up and hike" stickers!! :)-


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[scrabbler]

Lets see, an 18yo comes in here, first post, and asks about NOT using a phone? Any of you know of an 18yo that would even consider being without their phone, ever? Let alone for 6 months?

[Heliotrope]

Lets see, an 18yo comes in here, first post, and asks about NOT using a phone? Any of you know of an 18yo that would even consider being without their phone, ever? Let alone for 6 months?

Good point!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[George]

impossible, you will not even make it to neals WO a cell

[shelb]

:welcome to White Blaze!

A cheap Trac Phone can be charged, turned off, and then stowed in a Ziploc at the bottom of your pack. Only a few ounces. Might also come in handy if you start hiking with a group of people and then want to reconnect along the trail. .

I agree that a phone is not a daily necessity. I leave my phone off for days at a time. I do, however, turn it on to occasionally check in with family, call a shuttle, or check the weather when it looks threatening - and I am deliberating on going to the next shelter (NOTE: there is not always someone around with a phone! - especially as you move further north and the huge bubble begins to drop out).

What the heck - get the cheap, light-weight (only a couple ounces) disposable phone. Charge it. Leave it off. It will be an emergency back-up -in case it is needed....

[MRupert420]

During a rain storm is not the time to be caught without a phone, without others who have a phone, and lack of ride to town.

Forgive me if I'm missing something, but a rain storm is particularly dangerous? I would think a thunderstorm would be the time to not be caught without a ride to town, but are rain storms really to be avoided that badly?

[Lone Wolf]

- During a rain storm is not the time to be caught without a phone, without others who have a phone, and lack of ride to town.

dumbest thing i've read in a while

[MuddyWaters]

I would like to thru-hike without my phone. I just like the freedom, plus don't want the extra pounds, and don't feel like worrying about keeping it dry and charged throughout my hike.
I understand this course of action would mean a lot of hitch-hiking into town instead of calling a shuttle, but would that really be that bad?
And is there any serious safety argument saying I should bring my phone?
Is anyone else considering going phone-free?

If your phone weighs pounds you need a new one. 5-6 oz is about norm.
Battery packs and solar chargers are not a requirement.
Nobody gonna twist your arm and make you use it.
Leave it off and it lasts a long time.

[pauly_j]

I'm not taking a phone with me but I don't know anyone in America anyway.

[Nukids2]

Taking a cellphone is like any other piece of gear someone might bring. One person says they love Mini Bic lighters and there will be a bunch of people complaining that he or she isn't adhering to the essence of the trail. This is just an example and I'm not anti-mini Bic. To each their own and I will admit I'll be bringing a cellphone on the trail for various reasons. Some people bring a "Spot" to keep family abreast of their movements and I couldn't agree more. I sailed my sailboat up the Inside Passage from Washington to Alaska and I used a Spot to keep family and friends updated on my progress, when I was outside cellphone range. I won't be bringing a Spot along since I'll have convenient communication with my cellphone. To each their own and I believe this should be covered under "Hike your own hike".

[Sarcasm the elf]

dumbest thing i've read in a while

Go re-read the thread about the proposed AMC hut...

[Leo L.]

I made the experience that older cell phones have way better reception than smart phones, when it comes to plein talking connection in areas with poor coverage.
Many times, from top of the mountain when you even could see the antenna far down in the distance, the local guy would be chatting away happily with his old Nokia, while my brand-new smartphone kept searching for connections, just to finally refuse to book into any on the list of available nets (be they 2G or 3G).

I never would describe any call phone as a safety device, but just as a "nice to have" item. Always be prepared that it will fail when you really need it.

[Coffee]

I'd love to ditch the call phone but lack of pay phones makes this impractical. As cell phones get more and more obese, the weight penalty is increasing. Last hike where I went without a phone was the JMT in 2013. There were still pay phones in Tuolumne and Reds at the time. Not sure if the pay phones are still there. They are gone from most small towns and roadsides.

[Leo L.]

...
I never would describe any call phone as a safety device...

Sorry... Make this "cell phone"

[slbirdnerd]

More mentally unstable people out there with more crazy ideas and more weapons. If I were a guy, I wouldn't be as concerned. If I had been Emma Gatewood, I wouldn't have been concerned. Today, yeah, it's safer for me to carry a phone.

[tdoczi]

More mentally unstable people out there with more crazy ideas and more weapons. If I were a guy, I wouldn't be as concerned. If I had been Emma Gatewood, I wouldn't have been concerned. Today, yeah, it's safer for me to carry a phone.


do you have statistics that back tat idea up? no you don't, because there are none. if anything, there are statistics to prove the exact opposite. violent crime in our society is on a clear downward trend. fear mongering, on the other hand, is steadily and sharply rising.

[tdoczi]

More mentally unstable people out there with more crazy ideas and more weapons. If I were a guy, I wouldn't be as concerned. If I had been Emma Gatewood, I wouldn't have been concerned. Today, yeah, it's safer for me to carry a phone.


your sig line is kind of ironic giving the view youre expressing, dont you think?

[Puddlefish]

do you have statistics that back tat idea up? no you don't, because there are none. if anything, there are statistics to prove the exact opposite. violent crime in our society is on a clear downward trend. fear mongering, on the other hand, is steadily and sharply rising.

Careful with your use of statistics. She made a simple statement about her comfort level without a phone. That can be based on first hand personal experience, or it can be based on a general feeling of unease based on fear, or maybe a bit of both. You and I don't know her reasoning, nor is it particularly appropriate to ask for more details. Statistics only consider gathered data, and don't easily account for unreported crimes. I can go through my life swimmingly for 99% of the time, but if I'm unfortunate enough to to be harmed that 1% of the time, then the statistics are of zero comfort to me.

Second, let's talk a tiny bit about causality. Perhaps the violent crime rates have come down, in part, because of prevalent mobile phone availability for the most vulnerable people? Statistics are difficult to compare from the past to the present. To every study there are multiple factors and measurements. It's possible that there can be more nutcases, more weapons as well as a lower percentage of violent crime. You can both be right in this case.

I apologize for any thread drift, but I'm rather a fan of statistics.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Lets see, an 18yo comes in here, first post, and asks about NOT using a phone? Any of you know of an 18yo that would even consider being without their phone, ever? Let alone for 6 months?Some quick internet research would reveal that the OP probably doesn't fit the mold of your typical teenager/young adult.

[TexasBob]

..................... Not sure if the pay phones are still there. They are gone from most small towns and roadsides.

I would bet that your average 20 something thru hiker has never seen a payphone much less used one.

[imscotty]

I'd love to ditch the call phone but lack of pay phones makes this impractical. As cell phones get more and more obese, the weight penalty is increasing. Last hike where I went without a phone was the JMT in 2013. There were still pay phones in Tuolumne and Reds at the time. Not sure if the pay phones are still there. They are gone from most small towns and roadsides.

As of last summer there was still a pay phone at Reds, I did not notice at Tuolumne. Did not use them either way. I prefer to get on a computer, catch up on the news, check in with my family and be done. I used email to text services for a fast response. I used the library in Mammoth and the very slow Internet connection at MTR. I did worry about the folks back home at times, but as usual the world got along just fine without me for a few days.

[Coffee]

I would bet that your average 20 something thru hiker has never seen a payphone much less used one.
I'll bet that's true.

[colorado_rob]

Some quick internet research would reveal that the OP probably doesn't fit the mold of your typical teenager/young adult.My quick thought on the OP is that he/she is a troll, not a real question, someone's idea of a joke, really not at all funny. One post then out? troll. If I'm wrong, kinda refreshing though, the thought of a teenager not glued to a phone, most are 24/7.

OTOH: doing a long hike without a phone seems completely foreign to me personally; my 7 ounce phone is my camera, my Kindle app reader and my regular check in with loved ones. I even have the AT guide loaded on it in PDF format; though I used the paper version of AWOL most of the time, it was nice to have a weightless backup. 7 ounces of bliss & total convenience! I've even used it once in CT to find my way back onto the trail after a wrong turn.... zoom in far enough and the AT shows up (as does your position if GPS is on) on my Google-maps. I never loaded it, it was just there.

BTW: tdoczi is right, violent crime is way down, sad that most think the opposite. Victims of the media.

[DavidNH]

I thru hiked the trail in 2006 without a cell phone. You don't need one. The only reason every kid on the trail seems to have a cell phone is that today's youth are addicted to them. They can't go an hour, or a day without texting, calling, or emailing someone. So glad to finally discover at least one hiker that is willing to unplug on his hike!

[imscotty]

I would bet that your average 20 something thru hiker has never seen a payphone much less used one.

I have a rotary phone in my house. When my kids were little their friends would ask to use the phone and then just stare at it dumbfounded. I like being a curmudgeon. Of course now even the elementary school aged kids get cell phones.

[rafe]

I would like to thru-hike without my phone. I just like the freedom, plus don't want the extra pounds, and don't feel like worrying about keeping it dry and charged throughout my hike.
I understand this course of action would mean a lot of hitch-hiking into town instead of calling a shuttle, but would that really be that bad?
And is there any serious safety argument saying I should bring my phone?
Is anyone else considering going phone-free?


This is a rhetorical question, I take it. Quite a provocative topic for one's first post on a hiking forum. ;)

Safety? Might matter, or might not. Convenience? Mostly a plus. A burden? Minor, but manageable.

I don't think of the AT as a Lewis and Clark experience. A tie to civilization can be for ill or for good.

I hiked phone-free for the first thirty years or so, these days I like having it. Makes a good camera if nothing else.

[Sarcasm the elf]

I would bet that your average 20 something thru hiker has never seen a payphone much less used one.

I tried to find payphones while section hiking between 2009 and 2011. I eventually gave up.

Funniest time was when I tried to find one listed in the guidebook at the intersection north of agony grind in NY. After a of minute of looking I realized that I had rested my pack against the post that was formerly the mount for the payphone.

[Francis Sawyer]

Good for you! Don't be a slave to a stupid DEVICE! I don't own a cell phone and I manage to get along just fine. Phones are just tools but the most important tool is the brain. People are allowing the phones to do the thinking and that's just wrong. Don't get me started!!!!!!!

[pauly_j]

On a slightly related but off topic subject, are there any internet cafes along the trail?

[Puddlefish]

My quick thought on the OP is that he/she is a troll, not a real question, someone's idea of a joke, really not at all funny. One post then out? troll. If I'm wrong, kinda refreshing though, the thought of a teenager not glued to a phone, most are 24/7.

OTOH: doing a long hike without a phone seems completely foreign to me personally; my 7 ounce phone is my camera, my Kindle app reader and my regular check in with loved ones. I even have the AT guide loaded on it in PDF format; though I used the paper version of AWOL most of the time, it was nice to have a weightless backup. 7 ounces of bliss & total convenience! I've even used it once in CT to find my way back onto the trail after a wrong turn.... zoom in far enough and the AT shows up (as does your position if GPS is on) on my Google-maps. I never loaded it, it was just there.

BTW: tdoczi is right, violent crime is way down, sad that most think the opposite. Victims of the media.

It's possible to be correct, without being pertinent.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Good for you! Don't be a slave to a stupid DEVICE! I don't own a cell phone and I manage to get along just fine. Phones are just tools but the most important tool is the brain. People are allowing the phones to do the thinking and that's just wrong. Don't get me started!!!!!!!

Yeah, but most phones only weigh 6oz or so. You can save almost 36oz on average if you don't take your brain.

(Now you know how The UL craze got started. :banana)

[imscotty]

My quick thought on the OP is that he/she is a troll, not a real question, someone's idea of a joke, really not at all funny. One post then out? troll. If I'm wrong, kinda refreshing though, the thought of a teenager not glued to a phone, most are 24/7.


Ronan does not appear to be a troll, just a great kid willing to walk to his own drummer. It disturbs me that so many people think the idea of going without a cell phone is a fringe idea. Perhaps people really are addicted.

[imscotty]

On a slightly related but off topic subject, are there any internet cafes along the trail?

Libraries.

SS

[Puddlefish]

I also wouldn't be shocked if the OP is just trying to be an anonymous provocateur. Another board I frequent has a certain individual who likes to "drive the discussion" by posting under an alias with contrasting views, essentially hoping that other people will argue against his straw man. It's fairly annoying. The moderators can likely check for duplicate IP addresses if it becomes a common board distraction.

[Francis Sawyer]

On a slightly related but off topic subject, are there any internet cafes along the trail?
Yes. They are starting to bulldoze large tracts of virgin forest along the trail in order to build Internet cafes so people can use the web while enjoying nature.

[DavidNH]

imscotty brings up a good point. at pretty much every town the trail goes through or close to, you can find a library that has public computers with internet access. Here you can email home or to friends and keep in touch. I also kind of like how imscotty just has a rotary phone and the kids don't know how to use it LOL. But serioulsy, I think this is more a generational issue and the twain will never meet. I can't begin to tell you guys how annoying the cell phone addicts are!

[rafe]

Ronan does not appear to be a troll, just a great kid willing to walk to his own drummer. It disturbs me that so many people think the idea of going without a cell phone is a fringe idea. Perhaps people really are addicted.

It's a legit topic as long as folks agree from the start that there's no correct answer. Or rather, that all answers are equally valid.

"HYOH" and all that.

[Puddlefish]

imscotty brings up a good point. at pretty much every town the trail goes through or close to, you can find a library that has public computers with internet access. Here you can email home or to friends and keep in touch. I also kind of like how imscotty just has a rotary phone and the kids don't know how to use it LOL. But serioulsy, I think this is more a generational issue and the twain will never meet. I can't begin to tell you guys how annoying the cell phone addicts are!

I started off life with a party line on the wall. My kids and my 83 year old mother in law can all text rapidly with their thumbs. Maybe these things skip a generation at times?

[colorado_rob]

It's a legit topic as long as folks agree from the start that there's no correct answer. Or rather, that all answers are equally valid.

"HYOH" and all that.I agree totally, yet still, the OP did one post and hasn't responded. Seems weird. Doesn't matter, still good discussions.

[pauly_j]

Yes. They are starting to bulldoze large tracts of virgin forest along the trail in order to build Internet cafes so people can use the web while enjoying nature.

Bit unnecessary, I was obviously referring to towns. I'd like to occasionally email/skype my family, so sorry if doesn't fall in line with your idea of enjoying nature. Which presumably is not seeing or speaking to another human for 6 months?

Thanks for the info on the libraries. Do you need to be a member or a citizen to use the computers or anything? Hopefully the occasional hostel has a communal computer too.

It will be my only form of contact with my friends/family and I may need to transfer photos from my camera to flash drive on occasion.

[Puddlefish]

Bit unnecessary, I was obviously referring to towns. I'd like to occasionally email/skype my family, so sorry if doesn't fall in line with your idea of enjoying nature. Which presumably is not seeing or speaking to another human for 6 months?

Thanks for the info on the libraries. Do you need to be a member or a citizen to use the computers or anything? Hopefully the occasional hostel has a communal computer too.

It will be my only form of contact with my friends/family and I may need to transfer photos from my camera to flash drive on occasion.

Most public libraries typically have public access computers, free wi-fi, fax/scanners, copier/printers. They might charge for copies/prints. They typically require a library card, but make exceptions for visitors. They'll hear your English accent and stumble over themselves to help you out.

[pauly_j]

Cheers! I'm a little worried I'm not posh enough to use my voice as a weapon. No way near Hugh Grant.

[Puddlefish]

Cheers! I'm a little worried I'm not posh enough to use my voice as a weapon. No way near Hugh Grant.

Ran into an ugly Irish guy at a bar with a barely understandable thick brogue, the women were flat out mesmerized, and the rest of us were very bitter. It was in college, and I was young and less interesting. I've gotten over it since then... mostly.

[ronen.schatsky]

A good point--I would just ask to use the phone of a store in town, though. Hopefully they'd oblige.

[Heliotrope]

Yes. They are starting to bulldoze large tracts of virgin forest along the trail in order to build Internet cafes so people can use the web while enjoying nature.

And maybe Mountain crossings can put in a Starbucks. And packs can come with hip belt cup holders. [emoji3][emoji338][emoji477]️


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ronen.schatsky]

No worries, I am not a troll--just trying to see if my urge to leave the phone at home is reasonable or merely stubborn.
Thanks for all of your advice! It seems that overall, you all view phones as a convenience more than a safety option. I view the hike as an intentionally and benevolently inconvenient venture, so I'll leave it at home. Not that I'm now going to depend on other people who did bring their phones...I don't see myself needing it.

[tdoczi]

Careful with your use of statistics. She made a simple statement about her comfort level without a phone. That can be based on first hand personal experience, or it can be based on a general feeling of unease based on fear, or maybe a bit of both. You and I don't know her reasoning, nor is it particularly appropriate to ask for more details. Statistics only consider gathered data, and don't easily account for unreported crimes. I can go through my life swimmingly for 99% of the time, but if I'm unfortunate enough to to be harmed that 1% of the time, then the statistics are of zero comfort to me.

Second, let's talk a tiny bit about causality. Perhaps the violent crime rates have come down, in part, because of prevalent mobile phone availability for the most vulnerable people? Statistics are difficult to compare from the past to the present. To every study there are multiple factors and measurements. It's possible that there can be more nutcases, more weapons as well as a lower percentage of violent crime. You can both be right in this case.

I apologize for any thread drift, but I'm rather a fan of statistics.

talking about your own personal comfort level is one thing, making statements about how the world is different now than it was in grandma gatewood's time is something else entirely.

[Puddlefish]

talking about your own personal comfort level is one thing, making statements about how the world is different now than it was in grandma gatewood's time is something else entirely.

I'll send you a PM, so as not to further derail this thread.

[Bronk]

It used to be normal to hike without one, but as cellphones have become commonplace, payphones have all but disappeared and this can make hiking without a cellphone a logistical hassle. Would I consider it major safety issue? Probably not.I resisted getting a cell phone for years...and then ran into this exact problem...no more payphones...or more accurately, the payphones were shut off...they are still there in many places because there was no market to resell them and they figured "why pay somebody to remove them when they aren't worth anything?"

[Bronk]

:welcome to White Blaze!

Please post a picture of your cell phone that weighs "pounds." Is your phone from the 80s & 90s? :D Thankfully, they make 'em a lot lighter these days!

Most people carry phones out of convenience, rather than safety. Some places are easier to catch a hitch than others - During a rain storm is not the time to be caught without a phone, without others who have a phone, and lack of ride to town. While it (hopefully) wouldn't be the end of the world, that is one time a phone would come in quite handy...if you have cell reception.

A cheap Trac Phone can be charged, turned off, and then stowed in a Ziploc at the bottom of your pack. Only a few ounces. Might also come in handy if you start hiking with a group of people and then want to reconnect along the trail. Many will send messages to get locations and figure out the logistics of meeting back up.

It is absolutely your call (pun intended!) and I hope you have a wonderful hike.Has the hitchhiking scene on the trail changed? I only remember having to stick my thumb out a couple of times...more often than not I was being offered a ride at every road crossing without even having to ask.

[TexasBob]

........OTOH: doing a long hike without a phone seems completely foreign to me personally; my 7 ounce phone is my camera, my Kindle app reader and my regular check in with loved ones. I even have the AT guide loaded on it in PDF format; though I used the paper version of AWOL most of the time, it was nice to have a weightless backup. 7 ounces of bliss & total convenience! I've even used it once in CT to find my way back onto the trail after a wrong turn.... zoom in far enough and the AT shows up (as does your position if GPS is on) on my Google-maps...........

You can buy a cheap smartphone and not activate it. You won't be able to make calls or do texts but you can use it for all the things mentioned above plus when you get to town and have wifi you can get on the internet and do email. So for those who want to go "cellphone free" there is way to have your cake and eat it too.

[dervari]

If you want a cheap prepaid option, look at page plus. I have a phone activated with them since they're on the Verizon network and I get better coverage in remote areas. I top it off with $10 every 4 months and pay $0.10 per minute. I still have around eight dollars left on the account, even after the $0.50 per month maintenance fee.

Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk

[Puddlefish]

I resisted getting a cell phone for years...and then ran into this exact problem...no more payphones...or more accurately, the payphones were shut off...they are still there in many places because there was no market to resell them and they figured "why pay somebody to remove them when they aren't worth anything?"

Back in 1986, my college roommate was getting scammed by some guy selling the rights to phone booths in Hawaii. He was certain he was going to get rich from this investment and ignored any and all of our advice that phone booths were not the future.

[dervari]

I made the experience that older cell phones have way better reception than smart phones, when it comes to plein talking connection in areas with poor coverage.
Many times, from top of the mountain when you even could see the antenna far down in the distance, the local guy would be chatting away happily with his old Nokia, while my brand-new smartphone kept searching for connections, just to finally refuse to book into any on the list of available nets (be they 2G or 3G).

I never would describe any call phone as a safety device, but just as a "nice to have" item. Always be prepared that it will fail when you really need it.
The issue in the coming months or years is that the networks the old flip phones worked on are going away to free up spectrum for newer technologies. For example, my phone uses a technology called voice over LTE where voice is processed similar to a VoIP phone.

Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk

[dervari]

I have a rotary phone in my house. When my kids were little their friends would ask to use the phone and then just stare at it dumbfounded. I like being a curmudgeon. Of course now even the elementary school aged kids get cell phones.
I wasn't aware modern phone switches even supported rotary phones anymore.

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[Mags]

Ronan does not appear to be a troll, just a great kid willing to walk to his own drummer. It disturbs me that so many people think the idea of going without a cell phone is a fringe idea. Perhaps people really are addicted.

At this point, it is indeed a fringe idea. Not so much the cell phone, but not wanting to be connected. The CIO of the NPS has a mandate to have wireless in the NPS units by 2018. (http://federalnewsradio.com/mobility/2015/12/national-park-service-bringing-online-outside/)



Not going to debate if this is a good idea or not, but no doubt many do consider it fringe now to willingly be "off the grid".

As others said, though, for logistic reasons, a smart device makes more sense. Keep it buried in the pack when hiking. Finding a pay phone in town is a PITA. Almost like a Sasquatch siting. And, yeah..you can use a library for email, but those can be busy.


I wasn't aware modern phone switches even supported rotary phones anymore.

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Up until 6 years ago when my grandmother passed away, not only was there a rotary phone in the home, but Grandma was technically on a party line system! Her phone bill was about $10 a month. Her and my grandfather were last people to have a party line system in that area and the phone company did not (could not?) force them to switch to a private line.

Of course, this was in a late 1940s/early 1950s housing development so the phone system infrastructure there was older to begin with I suspect...

[squeezebox]

I don't think I have seen a functional pay phone in at least 10 years, probably more.
You can't have my tent, sleeping bag, food, or my phone. Sometimes emergencies happen. But deciding to not bring something that you need, and then ask to use mine, is not an emergency. It's a mistake and a bad decision. Live with it!! Maybe!!

[slbirdnerd]

Careful with your use of statistics. She made a simple statement about her comfort level without a phone. That can be based on first hand personal experience, or it can be based on a general feeling of unease based on fear, or maybe a bit of both. You and I don't know her reasoning, nor is it particularly appropriate to ask for more details. Statistics only consider gathered data, and don't easily account for unreported crimes. I can go through my life swimmingly for 99% of the time, but if I'm unfortunate enough to to be harmed that 1% of the time, then the statistics are of zero comfort to me.

Second, let's talk a tiny bit about causality. Perhaps the violent crime rates have come down, in part, because of prevalent mobile phone availability for the most vulnerable people? Statistics are difficult to compare from the past to the present. To every study there are multiple factors and measurements. It's possible that there can be more nutcases, more weapons as well as a lower percentage of violent crime. You can both be right in this case.

I apologize for any thread drift, but I'm rather a fan of statistics.

Well said, Puddle. I offered my advice, opinion and experience to the OP, as requested... Not sure why this other member is attacking me personally, but although I don't have any "statistics" to support this observation: this kind of disrespect that is far more prevalent in society today than it was years ago.

[Heliotrope]

I don't think I have seen a functional pay phone in at least 10 years, probably more.
You can't have my tent, sleeping bag, food, or my phone. Sometimes emergencies happen. But deciding to not bring something that you need, and then ask to use mine, is not an emergency. It's a mistake and a bad decision. Live with it!! Maybe!!

I saw one in NYC a few years back. Some guy was using it as a privy. Seemed pretty functional to him. [emoji338].


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[tdoczi]

Well said, Puddle. I offered my advice, opinion and experience to the OP, as requested... Not sure why this other member is attacking me personally, but although I don't have any "statistics" to support this observation: this kind of disrespect that is far more prevalent in society today than it was years ago.


i mean no disrespect to you personally, but the statements you are making as if they are facts are your personal and completely unsubstantiated opinions and nothing more.

[CarlZ993]

I don't think I have seen a functional pay phone in at least 10 years, probably more.
You can't have my tent, sleeping bag, food, or my phone. Sometimes emergencies happen. But deciding to not bring something that you need, and then ask to use mine, is not an emergency. It's a mistake and a bad decision. Live with it!! Maybe!!
Pay phones are very rare. There is one at Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon that is functional. Off the top of my head, I can't recall any others in recent memory.

[George]

More mentally unstable people out there with more crazy ideas and more weapons. If I were a guy, I wouldn't be as concerned. If I had been Emma Gatewood, I wouldn't have been concerned. Today, yeah, it's safer for me to carry a phone.

so you make a call(if you have signal) give a location that the dispatcher has no idea, and wait how many hours??

if you are this paranoid better carry an assault rifle and 1000 rds of ammo - maybe a backup also

[Water Rat]

Has the hitchhiking scene on the trail changed? I only remember having to stick my thumb out a couple of times...more often than not I was being offered a ride at every road crossing without even having to ask.

And others (myself included) have not always been so lucky as you were. :)

There have been times when I have had lots of luck with getting hitches right away, and other times it just hasn't worked out that way (mostly due to location and timing). No worries - It all evens out in the end. Road walks in the rain, when I am tired and hungry... Are not my most favorite thing. I know this about myself so I plan accordingly and at least give myself a chance at being able to do something about it if my plans to grab a quick hitch don't work out. Is having a phone a requirement for the trail? Nope. It's up to the individual to decide what they want to carry on their hike.

[Bianchi Veloce]

I would like to thru-hike without my phone. I just like the freedom, plus don't want the extra pounds, and don't feel like worrying about keeping it dry and charged throughout my hike.
I understand this course of action would mean a lot of hitch-hiking into town instead of calling a shuttle, but would that really be that bad?
And is there any serious safety argument saying I should bring my phone?
Is anyone else considering going phone-free?

I don't think Earl Shaffer nor Grandma Gatewood had a cell phone on their thru hike. Just say'n.

[MuddyWaters]

Up until 6 years ago when my grandmother passed away, not only was there a rotary phone in the home, but Grandma was technically on a party line system! Her phone bill was about $10 a month. Her and my grandfather were last people to have a party line system in that area and the phone company did not (could not?) force them to switch to a private line.

Of course, this was in a late 1940s/early 1950s housing development so the phone system infrastructure there was older to begin with I suspect...

I used to work with a guy in the 90s that had a party line as well. Only person on it. He was a reknowned tightwad. Had it many years, since 1970s

[rafe]

I don't think Earl Shaffer nor Grandma Gatewood had a cell phone on their thru hike. Just say'n.

Well, none of us did, before, say, 2000 or so. So OP asked the wrong question, the answer is an unequivocal yes. One cannot argue a fact.

On the other hand we can argue, "should it be done" or, "does it make sense" pretty much forever.

[squeezebox]

Carrying a phone has my vote. For shuttles, hostels, guthook app etc.

[JohnHuth]

I don't use my cell phone on the trail, but bring it along. I've hiked/camped/kayaked/biked a lot and never used one, but am not so much of a Luddite to deny that they can be useful.

My son carried one on his thru last year, but put it on airplane mode and used it to take photos. Every so often, he'd switch it on to send an "I am OK" e-mail from a town where there was coverage and advise me of his next resupply. Somewhere in NJ (he was NOBO), his sim card crapped out on him, but he was able to get through on a land-line, telling me his phone was on the fritz. At some point, he got another land-line call and my wife met him where I-90 crossed the trail to buy him a lunch. I think we may have been "offline" for three weeks before getting a new sim card. None of us treated it as a big deal, as he knows how to handle himself in the woods.

For me, I just like being unplugged and will carry a digital camera and don't go to the cell phone. I can see the utility of one for keeping a journal, but there's paper. My son kept a paper journal.

[4eyedbuzzard]

While part of the allure and joy in, and reason for, hiking is to distance ourselves from modern civilization, the gear we take hiking tends to embrace the products that come from civilization. We don't need nylon, aluminum, titanium, cuben, or lightweight plastic gear. We could carry wooden pack frames, canvas tents, and kapok filled sleeping bags. We don't because these modern products actually increase our enjoyment by providing better function, lower weight, etc. While a cell phone may to some mean that you are somehow bringing something invasive into the wilderness experience, they can also be viewed as being more efficient than older technologies. At 6 ounces or so, a phone can replace or serve in lieu of many heavier and bulkier single use items many carry: Camera, guide book, map, compass/gps, journal, etc. And obviously, the ability of being able to summon a shuttle, order replacements for shoes or broken gear is very convenient. And there is the ability to be useful in an emergency. Yes, they have their limitations - they are useless with a dead battery. Obviously there is the need to conserve power and be able to recharge them, and availability of a signal if needed for communication purposes. And if you don't want to be bothered with daily news or contact from friends, you can simply choose to keep them turned off until needed. But as their reliability has increased to where it is today, it is difficult to envision a future on the trail without them due to their ability to do so many things at a reduced weight and volume.

[JohnHuth]

But as their reliability has increased to where it is today, it is difficult to envision a future on the trail without them due to their ability to do so many things at a reduced weight and volume.

I don't disagree that they're good as a backup, buzz, but I just like to keep away from them when I'm in the woods. I see cell phones as qualitatively different from, say, lightweight packs. One can make the same argument about wrist-watches - try going without them and it can feel liberating. But, that's my take.

[Traveler]

Curious if anyone can relate to this. I rarely if ever use a cell phone on a trail, be it a day hike or longer but I do carry one when I not with someone else. Last summer I had cause to actually use the device to see where threatening weather was coming from that I could hear but not see due to terrain. When I pulled it out, it felt really out of place just in my hand as it turned on and I really felt out of place as I used the common sweeping, poking, and small movement techniques associated with these devices.

Using the device changed my feeling of where I was. I did not feel like I was in a fairly wild place any longer and it took a few miles to shake off that feeling. When I am not in the woods I use the cell phone pretty constantly for email, schedule calendars, texting, and all sorts of things as I move through airports and urban/suburban places so perhaps its just my normal use association at work. Regardless of the cause, it really wiped out the feeling of "alone" and vulnerable to extremes of nature. Anyone else have this juxtapositional experience?

[4eyedbuzzard]

I don't disagree that they're good as a backup, buzz, but I just like to keep away from them when I'm in the woods. I see cell phones as qualitatively different from, say, lightweight packs. One can make the same argument about wrist-watches - try going without them and it can feel liberating. But, that's my take.Yeah, I have mixed emotions personally on them too. But I didn't spend most of, or my entire, life with one.


Curious if anyone can relate to this. I rarely if ever use a cell phone on a trail, be it a day hike or longer but I do carry one when I not with someone else. Last summer I had cause to actually use the device to see where threatening weather was coming from that I could hear but not see due to terrain. When I pulled it out, it felt really out of place just in my hand as it turned on and I really felt out of place as I used the common sweeping, poking, and small movement techniques associated with these devices.

Using the device changed my feeling of where I was. I did not feel like I was in a fairly wild place any longer and it took a few miles to shake off that feeling. When I am not in the woods I use the cell phone pretty constantly for email, schedule calendars, texting, and all sorts of things as I move through airports and urban/suburban places so perhaps its just my normal use association at work. Regardless of the cause, it really wiped out the feeling of "alone" and vulnerable to extremes of nature. Anyone else have this juxtapositional experience?I understand. I was hiking over MLK weekend on the Ouachita Trail in OK last January. I had my phone with me for no other reason than perhaps emergencies. I had printed out map, and guide, and had a compass, etc. - because, well, old habits die hard. But come Sunday night, I was really wondering who had won the Patriots v Colts game. And I succumbed to my curiosity. I had only seen 4 others hikers over the prior two days. And yeah, it did take away the feeling of alone/disconnected to some degree.

But on the subject of vulnerability, I know there are many who don't carry phones, but do carry locator/messaging devices, PLB's and similar. So while people do seek a sense of alone and vulnerability, many also will take advantage of the safety net such tech can provide if it's available.

The world is a much smaller, and perhaps less vulnerable place in many ways than it was even 30 years ago.

So, I guess I feel that actually using phones does further erode the feeling of wilderness to some degree. Or, more in reference to the AT and other trails near civilization, the illusion of wilderness.

And I wonder, given the ubiquitous nature of cell phones, if sometime in the future that they, or locator/PLB type devices, join the list of things that without which one might be deemed unprepared (or even negligent) for not possessing?

[gpburdelljr]

At Mountain Crossings is an old phone booth no longer in use. I don't remember the exact words, but there is a decal on the glass that says something like "Cellphone Booth".

[Traillium]

While part of the allure and joy in, and reason for, hiking is to distance ourselves from modern civilization, the gear we take hiking tends to embrace the products that come from civilization. We don't need nylon, aluminum, titanium, cuben, or lightweight plastic gear. We could carry wooden pack frames, canvas tents, and kapok filled sleeping bags. We don't because these modern products actually increase our enjoyment by providing better function, lower weight, etc. While a cell phone may to some mean that you are somehow bringing something invasive into the wilderness experience, they can also be viewed as being more efficient than older technologies. At 6 ounces or so, a phone can replace or serve in lieu of many heavier and bulkier single use items many carry: Camera, guide book, map, compass/gps, journal, etc. And obviously, the ability of being able to summon a shuttle, order replacements for shoes or broken gear is very convenient. And there is the ability to be useful in an emergency. Yes, they have their limitations - they are useless with a dead battery. Obviously there is the need to conserve power and be able to recharge them, and availability of a signal if needed for communication purposes. And if you don't want to be bothered with daily news or contact from friends, you can simply choose to keep them turned off until needed. But as their reliability has increased to where it is today, it is difficult to envision a future on the trail without them due to their ability to do so many things at a reduced weight and volume.

This!

I especially agree with their multipurpose value. (Isn't that a lightweight principle?)

I do struggle with keeping the thing charged … But I'm trying to treat that in a similar fashion to fueling my stove: it must be done …


Bruce Traillium

[BillyGr]

I also kind of like how imscotty just has a rotary phone and the kids don't know how to use it LOL.
We did that for years with the Scout troop - the church we meet at has a small "closet" room off the main hall that still contains an old rotary phone. Was always fun coming back from a trip (before so many had cell phones) and the kids had to call home to let parents know it was time to pick them up. They caught on fairly quickly, though (and of course with help as needed).

[jpdflyboy]

My iphone was my camera, AWOL AT guide in PDF, and had Gunthook app showing AT map with GPS location with distance to water/shelters/roads/etc. Also texted to find my hiking partners camping locations. I skyped with friends when taking a zero. MyRardar app showed me a thunderstorm coming as I was about to go up a mountain peak. I liked it and will finish the trail with this year.

[LittleRock]

While we're on the subject of phones:

On my last section hike, I learned that my phone actually used less battery by leaving it in airplane mode rather than turning it on/off whenever I needed to make a call.

I also learned that cell phone cameras take crappy nature pictures. I took some pictures of the same views with my 16 MP digital camera and 8 MP phone camera and the digital camera photos came out better every time. The resolution wasn't all that much different but the phone camera with its lens squished into a 3 mm space was absolutely unable to capture any sort of depth.

Also, some people were concerned about internet access without a phone. Absolutely not a problem on the AT. Basically every town or hostel on the AT has an internet connection that hikers who stay with them can use for free.

[GolfHiker]

I've really enjoyed reading all the posts. Clearly everyone comes at this from a different perspective.

In March 2014, I started a similar thread ( see below). Responses pretty much convinced me I was right about looking back to the "old days".

Good stuff. Now, I'll move this in a slightly new direction. When I began hiking in the early 80s, we did not have communication devices, certainly not smartphones. There are good reasons ( convenience, safety, fun), but do you think that hiking the AT is changing with reliance on technology? Good or bad?

Personally, I think it's hard to put the genie back in the bottle. High tech hiking seems on the rise. I only bring this up because I keep reading about all those prepping for their hike and are concerned about how to keep everything charged! I believe in the old old saying, Less is More.

Like many of you I read or watch the prospective YouTube gear reviews of thrus before their expected hike. Everyone shows everything and almost always includes their "electronics" and the obligator method of charging up...

I'm not judging, just pointing out todays world, which has clearly spilled over to the long distance hiking world.